Dutch Kills Basin Park

Long Island City Roots continues to explore potential alternatives within the approved Environmental Benefit Project area. In this pursuit, Long Island City Roots has reached out to local elected officials for additional support in securing a location. They hope the elected officials can help facilitate working with local institutions to identify a new site for a park within the project area.

Background

The Dutch Kills Basin Park Project proposed to construct a park with athletic fields and waterfront access. The proposed park location is along 47th Avenue between 27th and 29th Streets, in the area adjoining the Dutch Kills basin. Long Island City Roots is serving as the primary community representative for the proposed project.

City Parks Foundation partnered with The Trust for Public Land (TPL) in evaluating the proposed park location. TPL submitted a letter of inquiry to the property owners of the parcels required to construct the park in the proposed location. The property owners did not respond to TPL’s letter. While awaiting response from the property owners, City Parks Foundation contracted with Goodman-Marks Associates to perform an appraisal of the proposed park location. The appraised value of the property greatly exceeded the proposed project budget.

The community sponsors requested that DEC allow Long Island City Roots to attempt to identify an alternative location within the impact area (1/2 mile of Newtown Creek). In May 2014, DEC granted this request and authorized CPF to set aside $2 million of the Newtown Creek Funds for one year to give the community sponsor time to identify an alternative site.